Chapter 2743 — Promising Benefits

As for the hidden circles, the only third-grade pills in demand beyond the Qi Gathering Pill were this Marrow-Washing Bone-Cleansing Pill. For the next step, Xuanzhen Ancestor planned to refine several Qi Gathering Pills and Marrow-Washing Bone-Cleansing Pills to put up for auction at the cultivators' trade fair.

Of course, at that point he could no longer refine one Qi Gathering Pill and then immediately refine the next Marrow-Washing Bone-Cleansing Pill as he did now; he would have to rest for half a year between each pill. Otherwise, if he used rare treasures of heaven and earth to restore his physical strength and true qi, the value of those treasures would far exceed that of a single third-grade pill. Unless it was absolutely necessary, as it was now, Xuanzhen Ancestor would never engage in such a losing business.

"This... if I go to trade with him, will he agree?" Kang Jingming was naturally overjoyed and excited that he could go to East Sea City to find Kang Jinglong. Moreover, having Xuanzhen Ancestor assign him a task was something to be coveted within the Xuandan Sect. If he completed it smoothly, his position in the sect would surely be further consolidated. And if he could thereby win Xuanzhen Ancestor's favor and be taken on as a nominal disciple, then he would truly rise to great heights!

Kang Jingming had also seen that Xuanzhen Ancestor's standing in the Xuandan Sect was even higher than that of Heaven, Earth, and Man. Although he did not know what identity the man held, becoming the nominal disciple of such a person would be an honor of the highest order.

Except that Kang Jingming was also somewhat worried—he and Wei Zhao were enemies, after all. Never mind the matter of his brother Kang Jinglong; he himself had once harmed Xiaofen and kidnapped Guan Xin. Those two incidents alone ensured that Wei Zhao held no goodwill toward him whatsoever!

If not for Right Thirteen last time, he would have been killed by Wei Zhao. Could he really expect a warm welcome if he went back this time? Although his current status in the Xuandan Sect meant Wei Zhao would not dare kill him outright, if the talks fell apart, a beating at Wei Zhao's hands was quite possible! Hadn't Kang Jinglong been beaten too?

"That depends on what you bring out to trade with him," Xuanzhen Ancestor said. "As for the specifics, I will discuss it with Heaven, Earth, and Man, and then you make your preparations. Be ready to move at any moment!"

"Yes..." Kang Jingming had no choice but to comply.

The reason Xuanzhen Ancestor had chosen someone from the Xuandan Sect this time, rather than using Xuanchen Ancestor's people, was that he did not want disciples of the Five Luminaries Sect to clash with White Leader and Wei Zhao again. They were all fellow disciples—why must things be brought to such a pass? [..]

"In any case, first ask what his demands are. If we can satisfy them, satisfy them as best we can. If we cannot, then we will find a way to substitute something else," Xuanzhen Ancestor said. He was a man who repaid kindness with gratitude. Wei Zhao's pill formula was of vital importance to that future plan, and it could also continue to be used to refine pills for sale. So Xuanzhen felt that trading goods for it was only proper.

This was fundamentally different from Xuanchen Ancestor's philosophy. Kang Jingming, however, was rather displeased. He leaned toward having several skilled hands from the Xuandan Sect go rob Wei Zhao outright. That way he could settle both public and private scores, teach Wei Zhao a lesson, or even kill him, and it would all be blamed on the Xuandan Sect. But unfortunately, Xuanzhen Ancestor had no such intention.

"Xuanzhen Ancestor, I know that brat Wei Zhao. He is stubborn and impervious to reason. If you try to trade with him, he will certainly demand an exorbitant price. The way to deal with someone like him is to play rough..." Kang Jingming hesitated a moment, then said, "Otherwise, this task will be very difficult to complete!"

"Play rough?" Xuanzhen Ancestor frowned. How would that be any different from Xuanchen Ancestor's methods? And Xuanchen Ancestor had played rough and gained nothing at all. Why were cultivators these days so restless and impetuous, doing things without the slightest regard for rules?

"Yes, just send two experts at the peak of the late Heaven Rank to find Wei Zhao and demand the pill formula. If he refuses, kill him, and see whether he hands it over then!" Kang Jingming said.

Xuanzhen Ancestor was left somewhat speechless, and his heart was suddenly filled with disappointment toward this boy Kang Jingming. He had originally held a rather good impression of Kang Jingming, seeing how hard the boy had worked refining pills under his guidance these past days. But now he felt this youth's heart was vicious and cruel. As a disciple of Xuanchen Ancestor, he would surely be liked, but Xuanzhen himself did not care for such disciples. So he merely said lightly, "No need. You will still do as I said. If you do well, I will introduce you to my junior fellow disciple and have him take you on as a nominal disciple. Your standing would be absolutely higher than remaining here as the Eighth Elder."

To get Kang Jingming to do the job, he naturally could not avoid promising him some benefits; otherwise the man would not apply himself. So he had offered to have Kang Jingming become Xuanchen's nominal disciple!

Regarding the matter of Little One and Little Eleven last time, Xuanzhen Ancestor had said nothing, but he had already begun to harbor some misgivings about his junior fellow disciple Xuanchen's outward obedience and inward opposition! Xuanchen Ancestor clearly knew of the relationship between Wei Zhao and Xuanyue Ancestor, yet concealed it and moved against Wei Zhao, and afterward assumed he had kept Xuanzhen in the dark. Did he really think Xuanzhen had no channels of information at all?

At the very least, within the Xuandan Sect, Xuanzhen Ancestor's voice carried more weight than Xuanchen Ancestor's. There was no other reason: this was a sect of pill refinement, and they naturally favored a master alchemist like Xuanzhen Ancestor.

Nevertheless, this incident had also planted a trace of doubt in Xuanzhen Ancestor's mind about the events of that year. He had seen through Xuanchen's nature well enough by now. Could the events of that year have had something to do with him? Xuanyue Ancestor's qi deviation—could it be that...

At this thought, Xuanzhen Ancestor hardly dared to imagine it! Fellow disciples of the same sect, killing each other over the position of sect master? Xuanchen Ancestor was ambitious, but it was precisely because his ambition was too great that their master had not passed the position of sect master to him back then.

Xuanchen Ancestor's ambition was very likely to become his ultimate fatal weakness in the end. White Leader, by contrast, was even-tempered and amiable, and harbored great aspirations in his heart. Such a person possessed the bearing a sect master ought to have. Xuanchen was fit only to be a fighter and a pathbreaker.

Xuanzhen Ancestor was the one with the least personality—no ambition, no grand aspirations, his mind wholly buried in pill refinement, uninterested in anything else. And such a person was exactly the kind Xuanchen Ancestor liked to keep around: no competition with him whatsoever, and useful as a helping arm.

In recent days, whenever Xuanzhen Ancestor thought of these matters, he would feel deeply depressed, yet helpless. He did not dare defy the sect's orders and was preparing with all his strength for the plan to return to the Cloud Terrace Island circle, but he also hoped White Leader could come back and take charge of the overall situation, leading the Five Luminaries Sect into Cloud Terrace Island...

Watching Kang Jingming's departing figure, Xuanzhen Ancestor heaved a heavy sigh, angry at his own lack of resolve—he was simply too weak!